"Good evening, viewers!"
The female host began with her usual greeting.
"Good evening, wifey!"
"Good evening, girlfriend!"
"Villain! Dare to duel with me!"
The patients in the mental hospital were quite lively, while the nurses around them expressed helplessness. Perhaps, no matter who it was, beautiful women were always irresistible, even to the mentally ill.
The nurses weren't particularly interested in the news.
But a breaking news report caught their attention.
"We interrupt this program for a news bulletin. Four graduates of the High Court have gone missing in Yanhai City. If anyone has seen these four individuals, please call the following number."
"110."
Soon.
Four photos appeared on the screen, along with their personal information.
Four graduates of the High Court.
All at the prime of their youth, yet mysteriously missing. How tragic and lamentable.
Inside the office.
Director Hao sipped his goji berry and red date tea while the news played, reporting events related to Yanhai City.
"Has the evil entity reached Yanhai City so quickly?"
To ordinary people, the disappearance of four young people might seem like a common occurrence. But to him, things were not so simple. For the special department to be unable to find them, there could only be one explanation: they had been killed by an evil entity.
His phone rang.
"Hello! Why did you decide to call me? Could it be that someone's gone insane and wants to come to my mental hospital?"
"You say you've searched the entire city and haven't found a trace of them? That's a bit of an exaggeration. You haven't even been to my mental hospital, so how can you claim to have searched the whole city?"
"Alright, alright, no more jokes. If I were thinking like the evil entity, do you think I would brazenly appear before you?"
"If you can't find them above ground, then search underground. The city's sewers are vast and interconnected. Even if the evil entity is hiding down there, it wouldn't be surprising."
He hung up the phone.
Director Hao took a sip of tea and a puff of his cigarette. The swirling smoke seemed to accentuate his air of wisdom. His psychological knowledge might seem useless to some, but not everyone could understand it.
Would the evil entity come to the mental hospital?
Probably not.
After all, with Director Hao here, wouldn't it be afraid of being issued a certificate and staying here forever?
Night fell.
Deep into the night, the mental hospital gradually quieted down, taking on a somewhat eerie atmosphere. Some insomniac patients lay in their beds, muttering incomprehensible words to themselves.
The corridor was quiet. Due to the electrician's less-than-perfect workmanship, the lightbulbs occasionally short-circuited and flickered, adding an unexpected sense of horror to the already unsettling mental hospital.
In a corner of the mental hospital…
Creak!
A manhole cover shifted, and a canine creature crawled out from the sewer.
The Mourning Dog, an evil entity.
It had actually appeared in the mental hospital.
Its half-hidden form in the darkness was terrifying. Under the faint light, it was evident that the Mourning Dog was not in good shape. Its fur on the back of its neck was bristling, and its flesh was mangled.
The daytime battle in the sewers had taken a toll on it, especially the young Taoist priest, who had managed to injure it.
The Mourning Dog was an intelligent evil entity. In its current state, if discovered by a skilled individual, it would be doomed. It could only find a place to recover.
With its current ferocious appearance, even ordinary humans would be scared to death upon seeing it, let alone using them for concealment.
In the darkness, the Mourning Dog shrunk its body and retracted the black mist it emitted. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into an adorable short-legged black puppy. Aside from its rather alarming injuries, it perfectly fit the human perception of cuteness.
If a young girl were to see it, she would undoubtedly be charmed by its adorable appearance, holding it in her arms and never wanting to let go.
She would exclaim, "What a cute puppy!"
Kawaii!
"Hmph, foolish humans, welcome my arrival."
The Mourning Dog couldn't speak, but it held these thoughts.
Ward 666.
Lin Fan and Old Man Zhang sat cross-legged, drinking soy milk. Their pre-sleep soy milk ritual helped them sleep better.
"I think my watch might be fake. He sold me a broken one." Old Man Zhang grumbled as he drank his soy milk, then rolled up his sleeve. "Look, today is clearly March 2nd, but when I went to see him today, it was the 29th. I asked him to fix it, and he told me that someone had tampered with it and it had nothing to do with him. He wanted me to pay for the repairs."
"This watch cost me millions, and the repair fee is tens of thousands. Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?"
"How about you lend me a few tens of thousands? I'll pay you back later."
He feigned distress, but his main goal was to borrow money.
"I don't have any money," Lin Fan said.
Old Man Zhang slumped his head. "I know you don't have any money. I was just asking. How about we kidnap someone? I heard kidnapping is a quick way to make money."
"Kidnap who?" Lin Fan asked. He was willing to help Old Man Zhang. A good friend in need is a friend indeed.
Old Man Zhang pointed at Lin Fan. "Kidnap you! Don't you have a girlfriend? I'll pretend to kidnap you and make her fix my watch. As soon as the watch is fixed, I'll let you go. Tell her not to worry."
Lin Fan blinked and said calmly, "I don't have a girlfriend."
"Isn't the one on TV your girlfriend?" Old Man Zhang asked.
"Oh! That's my wife. I don't have a girlfriend." Lin Fan said regretfully, "You're my friend, and I can't help you. I'm very sad. But don't worry, I'll think of something for you."
Old Man Zhang sighed. "A wife, huh? I thought she was your girlfriend. Well, that's no use then."
Just then.
A faint whimpering sound came from the door.
"Did you hear that?" Old Man Zhang asked.
"No."
"There definitely was a sound."
"I didn't hear anything."
The Mourning Dog, disguised as an injured puppy, grew impatient. Were all humans deaf?
It had been whimpering for a while, and they still hadn't opened the door.
There was no other way.
The Mourning Dog raised its thick little paw and scratched at the door. If there was still no response, it would have to find another place.
"There is! I definitely heard something." Old Man Zhang got out of bed and opened the door. His eyes lit up instantly as he saw the Mourning Dog. His elderly heart melted, and he eagerly picked it up. "Look what I found! Such a cute puppy! I love puppies the most!"
Soon.
They placed the puppy on the bed.
"The puppy is injured. It must be in a lot of pain," Old Man Zhang said sympathetically.
"Yes, it must be very painful," Lin Fan agreed.
"Fortunately, I know acupuncture. I can treat it."
"Once it's healed, we can play with the puppy."
The two men looked at the puppy intently, as if they had never seen a dog before. They were particularly fond of it, both being dog lovers.
The Mourning Dog felt quite smug.
Foolish humans, succumb to my adorable appearance!
But wait…
What was this old man doing?
Where was he sticking those needles?
Although it was uncomfortable, there was nothing it could do but endure it for now.
Old Man Zhang carefully treated the puppy. Although it was a dog, it should be similar to a human. The acupuncture points are the same. Just stick the needles wherever it looks uncomfortable. That couldn't be wrong.
Lin Fan gently stroked the puppy's fur.
"Such a cute puppy. I really like it."
The Mourning Dog understood human language. Cute, like… wait until my injuries heal and I evade capture. Once I reveal my true form, let's see if you still think I'm cute…
Grumble!
Just then, Lin Fan clutched his stomach as the sound of hunger emanated from him.
"Old Zhang, I'm hungry. I really want to eat something."
Old Man Zhang said, "What should we do?"
Swish!
Suddenly, Lin Fan and Old Man Zhang's gazes locked onto the cute puppy.
Huh?
The Mourning Dog noticed something amiss in the two humans' eyes.
It was as if they were looking at food…
No!
It must be an illusion!
They must be mesmerized by my cuteness.
In that case…
Let me completely melt your hearts!
The Mourning Dog licked Lin Fan's palm, displaying the most adorable puppy-like behavior…